Toy grasshopper



Dec. 9, 1930.- R A BLAKE 1,783,996

TOY GRASSHOPPER Filed March 19, 1930 gmwmw Patented Dec. 9, 1930 ROBERT A. BLAKEOF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK TOY GRASSHOPPEB Application fil ed March 19, 1930. Serial No. 436,961..

This invention is a toy grasshopper. Theobject is to provide in a simple form, easy and cheap of construction, a hollow figure in simulation of the. appearance of a grasshopper, the said figure being equipped interiorly with a simple mechanism, the operation of which will cause the figure to jump after the manner of a live grasshopper. In the drawing Figure '1 is an elevation of the toy; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section; Figure 3 is a detail of the interior actuating element.

The invention comprises a hollow shell 1 of metal or other suitable material, the same being formed and colored to simulate and represent a. grasshopper and beingopen at the under side and at its tail as shown at 2. A jump arm 3 is connected at 4 to a cross pin 5, which in turn has its ends inserted through small laterally aligned holes 6 in the forward portion of the shell 1, a spring 7 is coiled around the pin' 5 and has. one end 8 braced up against the back of the shell 1 while the other end 9 is bent around the arm 3 near its, point of attachment to the. pin 5.

Thus the normal action of the spring 7 is to force the free end of the arm ,3 downwardly i and outwardly of the shell 1 through the open lower side thereof. A latch 10 is connected at 11 to a cross pin 12 which has its ends journaled at 13 in the sides of the rear portion of the shell 1, in manner similar to the pin 5. through a slot 14- in the tail ofthe arm 3, and has a lip 15 adapted to engage the rear margin of the slot 14, to hold the arm 3 normally withdrawn upwardly inside of the shell 1. A spring 16 similar to the spring 7 has one end 17 braced against the back of the shell 1 while the other end is coiled at 18 around the latch 10 in such manner as .to normally'tend to throw the lip 15 of the latch into engagement with the rear margin of the slot 14, as shown in Figure 3, for holding the device in set position. f

With the elements thus constructed and assembled, a simple pressure upon the tail piece 19 serves to release the latch 10 from the'arm 3, whereupon the arm 3 flies downwardly,

The inner end of the latch passes strikes the surface upon which it may be resting and causes the shell 1 to jump forwardly in simulation of the movements of a real grasshopper.

WVhile I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention,

it is understood that I may vary from the,

said forward holes and thereby supported in position, a jump arm disposed within the shell and connected at its forward end to the said cross pin,-therear end of the jump arm being slotted longitudinally, a spring coiled around the cross pin with one end braced up against the back of the shell and the other end bent around the end of the jump arm and so adapted to force the free end of the jump arm outwardly of the shell, a cross pin having its ends journaled in the said rearward later-' ally aligned holes, alatch joined to the said cross pin and having an end turned to extend through the said slot at the rear end of the jump arm and adapted to engage the rear margin of the slot, to holdthe jump arm within the shell under thetension of the-saidspring, the other end of the said latchbeing extended outwardly through the open tail end of the shell to form a trigger, and a spring coiled around the said rear cross pin and having an end braced up against the back of the shell, the other end of the spring being coiled around the latch, whereby the said latch is normally thrown rearwardly to engage the margin of the slot of the jump arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT BLAKE; 

